1. Field of the Inventions
The present inventions relate to operation devices for water-jet propulsion watercraft, and more particularly, operation devices disposed in the operator's area of such watercraft.
2. Description of the Related Art
Small jet-propelled watercraft, which can be sporting in nature, are widely used in many-different types of bodies of water. In this type of watercraft, water is drawn upwardly from the bottom of the hull by a jet pump and is emitted rearwardly through a steering nozzle at the stern of the watercraft. The nozzle can be swung leftward and rightward about a rotational shaft so that the jet of water discharged through the nozzle can be diverted and thereby turn the watercraft in any desired direction.
These types of watercraft also usually include another device for diverting the water jet, and in this case, in order to provide reverse thrust. For example, such devices are often referred to as “reverse buckets”. Reverse buckets are typically mounted rearward from the steering nozzle and configured to move between retracted and deployed positions. In the retracted position, the reverse bucket does not contact the water jet discharged form the steering nozzle. However, in the deployed position, the bucket diverts the water jet, usually downwardly and forwardly so as to generate at least some reverse direction thrust.
Typically, watercraft equipped with such reverse buckets include a shift lever (hereinafter referred to as an “operation member”) configured to control the movement of the reverse bucket between the deployed and retracted positions. Such operation members can be mounted for rotation or pivoting about its axis. In some watercraft, when the operation member is pushed forwardly, the reverse bucket is moved into its retracted position, thereby allowing the watercraft to operate in a normal forward thrust mode. On the other hand, when such an operation members is pulled rearwardly, the reverse bucket is moved in to the deployed position, allowing the watercraft to operate in a reverse thrust mode.
Japanese Patent Document JP-B-2690981 discloses such an operation member for controlling a reverse bucket. For example, at page 2, lines 41 through 48 (right side column) and FIG. 4, this document explains that an “operation member of an advancing and reversing-changeover bucket is disposed with reach of the operator's hand in the bull at a position different than the operation handle. The operation member is connected to the bucket at one side by a cable, and the operation member protruded outward from an opening provided in the upper deck is operated to thereby rotate the bucket about its axis through a cable for the changeover between advancing and reversing.”